Dispensing apparatus



L. C. ROTTER DISPENSING APPARATUS Aug. 4, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 3, 1957 .Ii L

Aug- 4, 1959 L. c. ROTTER l 2,898,005

DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 3, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent Ofice DISPENSING APPARATUS Lutwin C. Rotter, Maplewood, Mo., assignor to The McNeil Machine & Engineering Company, Akron, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application September 3, 1957, Serial No. V681,841 9 Claims. (Cl. 222--135)l This invention relates to dispensing apparatus, and more particularly to proportioning systems for continuously effecting the mixing in proper proportion of two different materials from dierent sources and dispensing the mixture.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of systems of the class described which utilize reciprocating pumps for pumping the materials from the two sources thereof and in which the operation of the pumps is interrelated in such manner as to obtain proper proportioning; and the provision of apparatus of this class which is economical to provide and reliable in operation, employing commercially available air-operated reciprocating pumps. `Other objects and features will be in part 'apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which several of various possible embodiments of the invention are illustrated,

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation illustrating a preferred system of this invention;

Figs. 2 and 3 are cross ysections taken, on lines 2-2 and 3-3 of Fig. 1, respectively;

Fig. 4 is `a semidiagrammatic view of Ianother system i of the invention; and,

Figs. 5 and 6 are fragments of Fig. 4 illustrating a dierent Asetting of certain valves from that shown in Fig. 4. v

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing, ferred system of this invention is shown to comprise a lance pump 1A for pumping a pumpable composition A from a drum 3A, and a lance pump 1B for pumping a pumpable composition B from a drum 3B. These lance pumps are identical, each being a reciprocating pump of a type such as is shown for example in my United States Patent 2,787,225, dated April 2, 1957. Pump 1A has inlets such as indicated at 5A at its lower end, an outlet 7A at its upper end, and a piston rod 9A (see Fig. 2). Pump 1B has inlets such `as indicated at 5B at its lower end, an outlet 7B lat its upper end, and a piston rod 9B (see Fig. 3). Full pump details may lbe ascertained from United States Patent 2,787,225. It will suffice here to state that on an upstroke of the piston rod of each lof these pumps, the pump is primed with material from the respective drum, and, on ia downstroke of the piston rod, la charge of the material is pumped out under pressure through the pump outlet.

As shown, a delivery hose 11A leads from the outlet 7A of pump 1A and a delivery hose 11B leads from the outlet 7B `of pump 1B. These hoses 11A and 11B deliver the respective material-s into a mixing chamber such as indicated at 13 wherein the materials are mixed a presently pre.

2,898,005 Patented Aug. 4, 1959 and from which they exit under pump pressure. The mixing chamber may be of yany suitable form; its details are not an essential part of this invention.

Each lance pump 1A and 1B is driven by an airoperated reciprocating motor of a type such as is shown for example in the Retter et al. United States Patent 2,404,315. The motor for pump 1A is designated 15A and the motor for pump 1B is designated 15B.

Motor 15A comprises `a vertical cylinder 17A and a piston 19A slidable in the cylinder. The piston 19A is fixed on the upper end `of a piston rod 21A which extends through a packing gland 23A. This piston rod 21A is directly connected to piston rod 9A of pump 1A. At one side of cylinder 17A, there is a distributing valve means including air feed passages 25A and 27A, an air exhaust passage 29A, `and a D-valve 31A in a chest 32A for controlling the supply and exhaust of Fair. Passages 25A and 27A correspond to the passages 13 shown in United States Patent 2,404,315, but in this case the outer ends of these passages are lblocked off from the cylinder 17A by plugs 33A. Motor 15A is further modified over the construction shown in United States Patent 2,404,315 by having feed ports 35A and 37A drilled to intersect passages 25A and 27A and by having the end heads of cylinder 17A drilled to provide an upper end port 39A and a lower end port 41A. The valve gear for operating the D-valve 31A is substantially the same `as that shown in United States Patent 2,404,315 and is generally designated 43A.

Similarly, motor 15B comprises a vertical cylinder 17B and a piston 19B slidable in the cylinder. The piston 19B is lixed on the upper end of a piston rod'21B which extends through a packing gland 23B. This piston rod 21B is directly connected to piston rod 9B of pump 1B. At oneV side of cylinder 17B, there .are air feed passages 25B and 27B, an air exhaust passage 29B, and =a D-valve 31B in a chest 32B for controlling the supply `and exhaust of air. Passages 25B and 27B correspond to the passages 13 shown in Uni-ted States Patent 2,404,315, but in this case the outer ends of these pasv sages `are blocked off from'the cylinder 17B by plugs 33B. Motor 15B is further modified over the construction shown in United States Patent 2,404,315 by having feed ports 35B and 37B drilled lto intersect passages 25B 'and 27B `and by having the end heads of cylinder 17B drilled to Vprovide `an upper end port 39B `and `a lower end port 41B. The valve gear for operating the D-valve 31B is substantially the same -as that shown in United States Patent 2,404,315 land is generally designated 43B.

An air line 45 connects port 39A, of motor 15A and port 35B of motor 15B. An air line 47 connects port 35A of motor 15A and port 41B 0f motor 15B. An air line 49 connects port 37A of motor 15A and port 39B of motor 15B. An air line 51 connects port 41A of motor 15A and port 37B of motor 15B. This arrangement provides for control of the piston of motor 15A and pump 1A by the distributing valve means of motor 15B and for control of the piston of motor 15B and pump 1B by the distributing valve means of motor 15A.

Operation is as follows:

It will be understood that the valve chests 32A and 32B of air motors 15A and 15B are supplied with compressed air from a suitable source (not shown) via suitable air lines such as indicated at L. As shown in Fig. 2, the piston 19A of motor 15A is down and the D-valve 31A of motor 15A is up. As shown in Fig. 3, the piston 19B of motor 15B is up and the D-valve 31B of motor 15B is down. Accordingly, compressed air enters passage 27A of the valve means of motor 15A, and is supplied via port 37A, line 49 and port 39B to the upper end of cylinder 17B of motor 15B to drive the piston 19B of motor 15B down. The lower end of cylinder 17B is Y 3 vented via port 41B, line 47, port 35A, passage 25A, D-valve 31A and port 29A.

As the piston 19B reaches the lower end of its stroke, the D-valve 31B is shifted up to the position in which it connects the passage 25B to the exhaust passage 29B and opens the valve chest 32B to passage 27B. Accordingly, compressed vair enters passage 27B from the valve chest 32B and is supplied via port 37B, line 51 and port 41A to the lower end of cylinder 17A of motor 15A to drive the piston 19A of motor 15A up. The upper end of cylinder 17A of motor 15A is vented via port 39A, line 45, port 35B, passage 25B, D-valve 31B and exhaust port 29B.

As the piston 19A reaches the upper end of its stroke, the D-valve 31A is shifted down to the position in which it connects the passage 27A to the exhaust passage 29A and opens the valve chest 32A to passage 25A. Accordingly, compressed air enters passage 25A from the valve chest 32A and is supplied via port 35A, line 47, and port 41B to the lower end of cylinder 17B of motor 15B to drive the piston 19B of motor 17B back up to its Fig. 3 position. The upper end of cylinder 17B is vented via port 39B, line 49, port 37A, passage 27A, D-valve 31A and exhaust port 29A.

As the piston 19B reaches the upper end of its stroke, the D-valve 31B is shifted down to its lower position (in which it is shown in Fig. 3) wherein it connects the passage 27B to the exhaust passage 29B and opens the valve chest 32B to passage 25B. Accordingly, compressed air enters passage 25B from the valve chest 32B and is supplied via port 35B, line 45, and port 39A to the upper end of cylinder 17A of motor 15A to drive the piston 19A of motor 15A down to its Fig. 2 position. The lower end of cylinder 17A is vented via port 41A, line 51, port 37B, passage 27B, the D-valve 31B and exhaust port 29B. As the piston 19A reaches the lower end of its stroke, the D-valve 31A is shifted back to the Fig. 2 position and the cycle repeats.

The above described cycle of operations is repeated as long as compressed air is supplied to the air motors A and 15B. In this cycle, a downstroke of piston 19B of motor 15B which drives the piston rod of pump 1B down through a pressure stroke is followed by an upstroke of piston 19A of motor 15A which drives the piston rod of pump 1A up through a return stroke, which in turn is followed by an upstroke of piston 19B of motor 15B to drive the piston rod of pump 1B up through a return stroke, which in turn is followed by a downstroke of piston 19A lof motor 15A which drives the piston rod of pump 1A down through a pressure stroke.

Thus, by controlling the operation of motor 15A and pump 1A from the valve means of motor 15B, and by controlling the operation of motor 15B and pump 1B from the valve means of motor 15A, it is insured that a pressure stroke of one pump always follows a pressure stroke of the other (note that pump 1B cannot make a pressure stroke until pump 1A has completed a pressure stroke, and 1A cannot make a pressure stroke until after 1B has completed a pressure stroke). This insures proper proportioning of materials A and B. Pumps 1A and 1B being identical, the materials A and B will be mixed in a one-to-one ratio since, in a given time interval, pump 1A will deliver a certain number of charges of material A and pump 1B will deliver an equal number of equal charges of material B. For mixture ratios other than one-to-one, pumps of different displacement may be used at 1A and 1B. For a two-to-one ratio, a single-acting pump may be used in one drum and a double-acting pump in the other.

Fig. 4 illustrates another system of this invention comprising a first lance pump 61A for pumping a pumpable composition A from a drum 3A, and a second lance pump 61B for pumping a second pumpable composition B from a drum 3B. Each of these lance pumps is a conventional lance pump of a type such as is shown for example in my 4 above-mentioned United States Patent 2,787,225, and is driven by an air motor of a type such as is shown for example in Barks et al. U.S. Patent 2,269,423. The motor for pump 61A is designated 63A and the motor for pump 61B is designated 63B.

A delivery line 65 leads from the outlet 67A of pump 61A to an inlet port 69 of a four-way valve 71. This valve has first and second transfer ports 73 and 75 and an outlet port 77. A line 79 leads from the first transfer port 73 to one end (the lower end as shown) of a reciprocating pump 81. A line 83 connects the second transfer port 75 to the other (upper) end of pump 81. Pump 81 has a piston 85 on a long piston rod 86.

A delivery line 87 leads from the outlet 67B of pump 61B to an inlet port 89 `of a four-way valve 91 identical to valve 71. The first and second transfer ports of valve 91 are designated 93 and 95 and its outlet port is designated 97 A line 99 leads from the first transfer port 93 to one end (the upper end as shown) of a reciprocating pump 101 identical to pump 81. A line 103 connects the second transfer port to the other (lower) end of pump 101. Pump 101 has a piston 105 on a long piston rod 106.

The piston rod 106 of pump 101 controls the valve 71, and the piston rod 86 of pump 81 controls the valve 91. As shown, valve 71 has an operating lever 107 pivoted at 109 and operating a valve plunger 111. The piston rod 106 has a lost-motion connection such as indicated at 112 with the lever 107. Valve 91 has an operating lever 113 pivoted at 115 and operating a valve plunger 117. The piston rod 86 has a lost-motion connection such as indicated at 118 with the lever 113. Delivery lines 119 and 121 lead from the outlet ports 77 and 97 of the valves 71 and 91 and are connected together at 123.

As to valve 71, when its plunger 111 is pulled out (as shown in Fig. 4), port 69 is connected to port 73, and port 75 is connected to port 77. When plunger 111 is pushed in (as shown in Fig. 5), port 69 is connected to port 75, and port 73 is connected to port 77 Similarly, as to valve 91, when its plunger 117 is pulled out (as shown in Fig. 4), port 89 is connected to port 95, and port 93 is connected to port 97. When plunger 117 is pushed in (as shown in Fig. 6), port 89 is connected to port 93, and port 95 is connected to port 97.

Operation of the system shown in Fig. 4 is as follows:

It will be understood that the air motors 63A and 63B for the lance pumps 61A and 61B are supplied with compressed air from a suitable source (not shown) via suitable air lines such as indicated at L. As shown in Fig. 4, the piston 85 of pump 81 is down, and the piston of pump 101 is up. Pump 81 is primed with material A above piston 85. Pump 101 is primed with material B below piston 105. The plungers 111 and 117 of fourway valves 71 and 91 are both out. Accordingly, pump 61A dispenses material A under pressure from drum 3A through line 65 to port 69 of valve 71 and thence via port 73 and line 79 to the lower end of pump 81. This causes piston 85 of pump 81 to rise and force out material A from the upper end of pump 81 and through line 83, ports 75 and 77 of valve 71 and line 119 to the connection at 123. Pump 81 becomes primed with material A below piston 85. During this phase of operation, the outlet 67B of pump 61B is connected via line 87, ports 89 and 95 of valve 91 and line 103 to the lower end of pump 101. Accordingly, motor 63B and pump 61B are stalled.

Piston 85 of pump 81, in rising, dispenses a measured amount of material A from the upper end of pump 81. Piston rod 86 rises with piston 85 and, as these elements complete their upward travel, rod 86 operates lever 113 of valve 91 to push in the plunger 117 of this valve to the Fig. 6 position, and motor 63A and pump 61A stall. Motor 63B then operates and pump 61B dispenses material B under pressure from drum 3B through line 87 to port 89 of valve 91 and thence via port 93 and line 99 to theupper end of pump 101. This causes piston 105 of pump 101 to descend and force outmaterial B from the lower end of pump 101 and through line 103, ports 95 and 97 of valve 91 and line 121 to the connection at 123. Pump 101 becomes primed with material B above piston 105.

Piston 105 of pump 101, in descending, dispenses a measured amount of material B from the lower end of pump 101. Piston rod 106 descends with piston 105 and, as these elements complete their descent, rod 106 operates lever 107 of valve 71 to push in the plunger 111 of this valve to the Fig. 5 position and motor 63B and pump 61B stall. Pump 61A then dispenses material A under pressure from drum 3A through line 65, ports 69 and 75 of valve 71 and line 83 to the upper end of pump 81. This causes piston 85 of pump 81 to descend and force out material A,from the lower end of pump 81 and through line 79, ports 73 and 77 of valve 71 and line 119 to the connection at 123. Pump 81 becomes primed with material A above piston 85.

Piston 85 of pump 81, in descending, dispenses a measured amount of material A from the lower end of pump 81. Piston rod 86 descends with `piston 85 and, as these elements complete their descent, rod 86 operates lever 113 of valve 91 to pull out the plunger 117 of this valve to the Fig. 4 position, and motor 63A and pump 61A stall. Motor 63B then operates and pump 61B dispenses material B under pressure from drum 3B through line 87, ports 89 and 95 of Valve 91 and line 103 to the lower end of pump 101. This causes piston 105 of pump 101 to rise and force out material B from the upper end of pump 101 and through line 99, ports 93 and 97 of valve 91, and line 121 to the connection at 123. Pump 101 becomes primed with material B below piston 105.

Piston 105 of pump 101, in rising, dispenses a measured amount of material B from the upper end of pump 101. Piston rod 106 rises with piston 105 and, as these elements complete their rise, rod 106 operates lever 107 of valve 71 to pull out the plunger 111 of this valve to the Fig. 4 position, and motor 63B and pump 61B stall. This completes a cycle, the pistons 85 and 105 and the valves 71 and 91 now being back in their Fig. 4 positions. The cycle is repeated as long as air is supplied to motors 63A and 63B. In the cycle, an upstroke of piston 85 of pump 81 is followed by a downstroke of piston 105 of pump 101, which in turn is followed by a downstroke of piston 85, which in turn is followed by an upstroke of piston 105. Each pump is double-acting, discharging a measured quantity of material both on its upstroke and its downstroke, and since a stroke of one pump always follows a stroke of the other, proper proportioning of the materials A and Bis insured.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

l. A proportioning system comprising first and second reciprocating pumps each adapted to deliver a predetermined amount of material upon a stroke thereof, the first pump being adapted to be supplied from a source of a first material, the second pump being adapted to be supplied from a source of a second and different material, means connecting together the delivery of the two pumps for mixing together of the two different materials delivered thereby, air motor means for powering the pumps, valve means controlled by the first pump and controlling the operation of the second pump and valve means controlled by the second pump and controlling the operation of the first pump for effecting sequential acition the pumps such that the first makes a stroke in one direction, after which the second makes a stroke in one direction, after which the first makes a stroke in the opposite direction, and after which the second makes a stroke in the opposite direction.

2. A proportioning system comprising first and second reciprocating pumps each adapted to deliver through an outlet a predetermined amount of material upon a stroke thereof, the first pump having an inlet adapted to be supplied from a source of a first material, the second pump having an inlet adapted to be supplied from a source of a second and different material, means connecting together the outlets of the two pumps for mixing together of the two different materials delivered thereby, iirst and second reciprocating fluid motors for operating the first and second pumps and powered by a iiuid other than said first and second materials, each motor having distributing valve means, the distributing valve means of the first motor having fluid connections to the second motor and the"distributin g valve means of the second motor having fluid connections to the first motor for effecting sequential action of the pumps such that one makes a stroke after the other makes a stroke.

3. A proportioning system comprising first and second reciprocating pumps each adapted to deliver through an outlet a predetermined amount of material upon a pressure stroke thereof, the first pump having an inlet adapted to be supplied from a source of a first material, the second pump having an inlet adapted to be supplied from a source of a second and different material, means connecting together the outlets of the two pumps for mixing together of the .two different materials delivered thereby, first and second reciprocating fluid motors for operating the first and second pumps and powered by a fluid other than said first and second materials, each motor having distributing valve means, the valve means of the first motor having iiuid connections to the second motor and the valve means of the second motor having fluid connections to the first motor whereby the valve means of the first motor controls the second motor and the valve means of .the second motor controls the first motor for effecting sequential action of the pumps such that the first makes a pressure stroke, after which the second makes a return stroke, after which the first makes a return stroke, and after which the second makes a pressure stroke.

4. A proportioning system as set forth in claim 3 wherein each pump is a lance pump and each motor is an air motor.

`5. A proportioning system as set forth in claim 4 wherein each air motor comprises a cylinder, a piston in the cylinder having a connection to the respective lance pump, and wherein the valve means of each air motor comprises a valve chest, a D-valve, rst and second air feed passages, and an air exhaust passage, the first feed passage of the first motor being connected to one end of the second motor cylinder, the second feed passage of the first motor being connected to the other end of the second motor cylinder, the first feed passage of the second motor being connected to one end of the first motor cylinder, and the second feed passage of the second motor being connected to the other end of the first motor cylinder.

6. A proportioning system comprising rst and second reciprocating pumps, a rst valve controlled by the second pump and controlling the first pump, a second valve controlled by the first pump and controlling the second pump, each valve having an inlet, means for supplying to the inlet of the first valve a first material under pressure, means for supplying to the inlet of the second valve a second and different material under pressure, each valve having first and second transfer ports 'and an outlet port, connections from the transfer ports of the first valve to opposite ends of the first pump, connections from the transfer ports of the second valve to opposite ends of the second pump, means interconnecting the outlets of the valves for mixing of the two different materials, each valve having a first position in which it connects its inlet port to its first transfer port and its second transfer port to its outlet, and a second position to which it connects its inlet to its second transfer port and its first transfer port to its outlet, each valve being 'actuated from one of its positions to the other at the ends of the stroke of the respective pump for effecting sequential action of the pumps such that the first pump makes a stroke in one direction, after which the second pump makes a stroke in one direction, after which the first pump makes a stroke in the opposite direction, and after which the second pump makes a stroke in the opposite direction.

7. A proportioning system as set forth in claim 6 wherein each of the means for supplying material under pressure to the valve inlets comprises an air-motor-driven lance pump.

8. Proportioning pumping means for pumping a first material and a second and different material from first and second drums containing said materials, comprising a first reciprocating lance pump adapted to be inserted in the rst material in the first drum, a second reciprocating lance pump adapted to be inserted in the second material in the second drum, each pump having an inlet for entry of material from the respective drum, each pump having an outlet and each adapted to deliver through its outlet a predetermined amount of material on each pressure stroke thereof, exible hose lines extending from the outlets of the pumps and connected together for mixing of the materials delivered by said pumps, each pump.

means of the air motor for the first pump to the air. motor for the second pump, and air lines interconnecting,l

the distributing valve means of the air motor for the second pump to the air motor for the first pump for effecting sequential action of the motors and pumps such that one pump makes a stroke after the other makes a stroke.

9. Proportioning pumping means as set forth in claim 8 wherein each air motor comprises a cylinder, a piston in the cylinder having a connection to the respective pump, and wherein the valve means of each air motor comprises a valve chest, a D-valve, first and second air feed passages, and an air exhaust passage, the first feed passage of the first 'motor being connected by an air line to one end of the second motor cylinder, the second feed passage of the first motor being connected by an air line to the other end of the second motor cylinder, the first feed passage of the second motor being connected by an air line to one end of the first motor cylinder, and the second feed passage of the second motor being connected by an :air line to the other end of the first motor cylinder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,964,028 Boynton et al June 26, 1934 2,293,076 Ponting Aug. 18, 1942 2,442,916 Buchanan June 8, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 2,898,005 August 4, 1959 Lutwin C Botter .It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should readas corrected below.

Column o, line 3, for Hacition" read action of column 7, line 8, for "to which" read in which Signed and sealed this 19th day of J ahuary 196C)e SEAL) Attest:

KARL Ha XLINE Attesting Officer ROBERT C. WATSON Commissioner of Patents 

